Review: Learning Lenormand

R E V I E W

Learning Lenormand:
Traditional Fortune Telling for Modern Life
by Marcus Katz & Tali Goodwin
Paperback: 312 pages
Llewellyn Publications
ISBN 978-0-7387-3547-1

 

_About My Reviews_

TOP LINE (formerly Bottom Line)

I am a relative newcomer to the world of Lenormand. I do have several decks, and I am a member of the _Learning Lenormand Facebook group_. When I heard about the book Learning Lenormand, I decided it would be a good resource for me.

I love that the authors begin their Introduction with a reference to Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. The Golden Compass is one of my all-time favorite books, but I had no idea that the _Alethiometer_ used by the heroine, Lyra, displays the same number of symbols as the Lenormand cards and that many of these are the same as or similar to the symbols of the Lenormand Oracle. (How cool is that?!?!?!)

My favorite sections of Learning Lenormand are:

• Chapter One: A Tale of Two Cities – a fascinating history that includes information about Marie Anne Adelaide Lenormand, the earliest Lenormand decks, the card games Piquet and The Game of Hope, and the use of cartomancy.
• Chapter Six: The Houses – a description of the houses of the Grand Tableau, including the “Master Method” introduced by Foli in 1903.
• Appendix One: The Game of Hope – description of a game published c. 1800 as a set of cards with instructions on how to play. A translation of the instructions is included in this Appendix.

I like the way the authors use exercises to gradually build toward the daunting Grand Tableau, which uses all 36 Lenormand cards. The book provides the individual meanings of each card, devoting up to a full page to each.

I enjoyed reading this book straight through, and I know that I will refer to it and use the exercises over and over again as I continue to explore my Lenormand decks.

THE PUBLISHER'S PRODUCT SUMMARY

Read the Lenormand cards to answer practical questions about romance, career, money, travel, and important life choices. With simple instructions for beginning readers, Learning Lenormand teaches easily accessible methods for using this simple thirty-six card deck. Providing fascinating historical research and proven techniques, renowned instructors Marcus Katz and Tali Goodwin reveal everything you need to know:

Card meanings • The Grand Tableau • Accessing your inner Sibyl • Sample readings Working with houses • Basic layouts • Deck recommendations • The significance of facing cards • Lenormand and tarot • Diagonals, reflections, zones, and shadows

With fewer complex symbols than traditional tarot cards, the Lenormand deck is a key that unlocks the secrets of the future and uncovers deep personal insights

Marcus Katz

THE AUTHORS

Marcus Katz (England) is a tarot teacher and the director of Tarot Professionals, the world’s largest professional tarot organization. He has studied and taught tarot for thirty years and has delivered more than ten thousand face-to-face readings. He is the co-founder of Tarot Town, the social network for tarot readers, with thousands of members worldwide.

Tali Goodwin

Tali Goodwin (England) is the marketing director of Tarot Professionals and co-founder of the Tarot Town social network. She maintains a popular tarot blog at TarotSpeakEasy.com.

BASIC INFORMATION / APPEARANCE, SIZE, QUALITY / ART

This 312-page high-quality paperback book measures 9 by 7-1/2 inches. Illustrations are black and white.

Table of Contents

One: A Tale of Two Cities
Two: Getting Started
Three: The Cards
Four: Reading the Cards in Context
Five: The Grand Tableau
Six: The Houses
Seven: Knighting, Counting, and Diagonals
Eight: Zones and Shadows
Nine: Card Layouts and Sample Readings
Afterword: Lenormand for Tarot Readers
Appendix One: The Game of Hope
Appendix Two: The Game of Picket (Piquet)
Further Resources
Glossary
Bibliography
Endnotes
Art Credit List